


Tangled Heartstrings

by sgatalon



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, F/M, I have literally no goal here, I just wrote words, I'm winging this fic, Is how this is starting, Is what I'm aiming for, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Post-Loveater, Will be making appearances probably, enjoy y'all, ladrien, seriously
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21529084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgatalon/pseuds/sgatalon
Summary: (Takes place following the Loveater 2-part episodes.) Crying alone on her balcony, Marinette is contemplating giving up on Adrien, for good.  Chat Noir hears the commotion and drops in to console her, to repay her for the time she heard him out.  How much of her heartbreak will Marinette reveal to the stray alley cat?  Will he wish he had wandered onto another beautiful girl's balcony instead?
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Kagami Tsurugi, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Comments: 12
Kudos: 104





	1. Stray

**Author's Note:**

> I literally started writing this at 2 AM one night, thought it would be stupid when I came back, but guess what? It wasn't. Enjoy my descent into Lovesqare trashdom!
> 
> I'm not really planning this, so it might be less than 5 chapters, it could turn into a monstrosity-- we shall find out! Anyone who followed me for Code Geass knows I can drop off for months at a time, but I promise I have not forgotten about that fic, either, but guys? Ladybug is my real fandom. Sorry, not sorry!

Chat Noir leapt from rooftop to rooftop, the dazzling twilight skyline of the City of Lights barely registering in his field of vision. The last few days… weeks… it all felt so abrupt, yet far away. The guardian of the Miraculous was gone—no, not gone, but he had left everything to Ladybug! Not that Chat blamed him; he would have done the same. Still, the thought of Ladybug made him uneasy now, and not just because she was trusted with the Miracle Box. He was so unsure of how he felt about _her,_ but it had nothing to do with the changes to their dynamic, and everything to do with his civilian life. The two personalities clashed within him: boring, perfect model Adrien Agreste, and the cheeky, smooth-talking hero, Chat Noir. Both were him, and yet completely separate. Some days, it was hard to reconcile, but even more so now.

Like the wolf pines for the moon, Chat’s heart longed for Ladybug. Not just the trust and friendship she offered as his working partner, but love and companionship as a couple. She was everything—beauty, light, strength, truth. All the things he lacked in his home life. She was smart, funny, and had a pure smile he would willingly die to protect, but… She didn’t feel the same. As the thought hit him, the black-clad hero stopped, dropping down behind a chimney and closing his eyes with a heavy sigh. He remembered what she had said the night she rejected him—officially rejected him, anyway, as he’d gone out of his way to make a grand romantic gesture. The glow of candles kissing her rosy cheeks beneath her red-and-black spotted mask, those bluebell eyes dancing with the stars as she said…

_There’s… a boy…_

And he had known instantly that ‘a boy’ was not Chat Noir. He had always suspected, maybe even known, that she didn’t love him. Not like he wanted her to, anyway. He grasped at his chest, suddenly heavy with the weight of grief, not usually associated with his Lady. Plagg was probably right; he should give up on Ladybug. Besides…

Adrien Agrete seemed to be developing what one might consider a ‘relationship’ with one Kagami Tsurugi. Since Chat and Adrien were the same person, it wouldn’t be right to pursue one while seeing the other, would it? He smiled as he imagined how upset his Lady would be if he asked her for advice about this; she wanted him to move on, to forget about her, after all, so his hesitance in doing so would only cause her irritation. But besides all that, Kagami was… _nice._ Not his Lady, but nice. Quiet and reserved, but passionate and attentive. He liked spending time with her, and she had, he thought, perhaps admitted to having feelings for him? He wasn’t sure if that was her meaning, but Plagg was positive she “totally has the hots” for him. On the day they played hooky from the mayor’s anniversary party, even Marinette seemed eager to give them some alone time, letting them choose Andre’s ice cream recommendation to share before finding a lame excuse to wander off, like he himself would sometimes do for Nino and Alya. Marinette was the nicest, most popular girl in class, so if they had her blessing, it must be a good thing, right?

Chat Noir tossed his head back, staring at the light-bleached sky. The twilight had faded into night, the silence pressing at his ears as he hoped for some kind of epiphany. He held his breath, claws scraping gently against the roof, but no response came. He straightened, another heavy sigh escaping his lips, and thrust his stick down crisply, breaking his meditation.

“Well, it’s getting late… I guess I should—” As he turned, he heard something soft in the background, almost like… crying? One of his cat ears twitched as he faced to investigate the source, a shadowed figure on a rooftop, lit with fairy lights and lanterns. He recognized the balcony as belonging to Marinette. So, why was she upset? He swallowed; he shouldn’t get too close to people in his civilian life as Chat Noir, but he _had_ talked to Marinette before, when he was upset. It made him feel better, so really, he owed her one. Swiftly and silently, he made his way over until he dropped onto the rails of the balcony beside her.

“AHH!!” The dark-haired girl quickly backed up, her bluebell eyes wide with surprise as she almost tripped and fell into a nearby table.

“Sorry, sorry!” He internally berated himself; he knew how clumsy Marinette was. What if she’d seriously hurt herself? “I didn’t mean to startle you!”

“It—It’s alright, Chat Noir.” The girl sniffled loudly, wiping a hand over her face as she straightened, pointedly facing away from him.

“Are—Are you… okay..?”

“Oh, I’m fine!” She waved a careless hand, a big smile tacked across her mouth. “You know us clumsy girls, we get used to falling and stuff!”

Chat Noir grimaced as he slid off the balcony rail to stand before his classmate. “That’s not what I meant. You were…” he gulped, suddenly feeling awkward. What if she didn’t want to talk to him? He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, I thought I heard…”

“Ha-ha, well, you heard wrong, Chat Noir, there’s no way I was crying! Nope, nuh-uh, n-not… Not me…” Chat knew very well that she was pretending, because he had done it so many times before as Adrien. Something in his face must have given it away, because one look at him made her happy mask slip, and suddenly she looked so fragile and… vulnerable. Her thin frame shook as she held back her sadness, but it overflowed in her large, gentle eyes. She bit her lip, but it did nothing to hold back her feelings.

“It’s okay…” He winced at his words. “Or… maybe it’s not. I don’t know. Would it help to… to talk about it? Maybe?”

Marinette covered her mouth and shook her head, eyes squeezed closed as tears leaked from the corners. Chat Noir regretted his decision to visit; he could barely console himself, let alone a friend. What was he thinking?

“That’s… that’s okay. But if you change your mind…” He trailed off. She couldn’t call him. Marinette had no idea Chat Noir was Adrien Agreste, and if she did, then Ladybug would _kill_ him.

Marinette let out a watery chuckle. “I appreciate the offer,” she managed. Silence stretched between them; Chat debated if he should leave, but it seemed… rude. He cleared his throat, and began to ask if he should go, but Marinette cut him off.

“It’s funny, you always seem to visit whenever I feel like giving up.”

“G-Giving up..? But you have so much to live for--!”

“No, no! Not like that, Kitty!”

Chat Noir was so taken aback by the nickname that he forgot to apologize for jumping to conclusions.

Marinette cleared her throat, quickly moving on. “I meant, er, that is, on—on… someone.”

“Oh…” Chat brushed his claws through his hair, moving to lean beside Marinette against the railing. “So… that guy you like..?”

“Mm-hmm.” Marinette was watching the streets below, or she would be if her eyes weren’t hazed over.

“So… what happened with him?”

_Mistake._

Marinette’s mouth began to quiver as more tears filled her eyes. Chat tensed up, his words catching in his throat. What did he _say?_ What did he _do?!_ _HOW WAS HE SUPPOSED TO FIX THIS?!_

“Nothing,” she replied simply. “Well… I mean, he didn’t do anything… I-I did.”

“O-oh..?” Chat was afraid a wrong word would just upset her more.

“Heh, I was pretty stupid, but…” Marinette smiled and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I had known he liked someone else for a while. I think… I think they’re finally together. So… so I hope he’s happy….” More sobs broke from her chest.

“I’m sure you weren’t stupid,” he said gently. Chat meant it. Marinette was so smart and kind. Clumsy, sure, but stupid? Never.

“I… I recently became friends with this girl. She’s really bad at making friends, but she tries so hard… It’s kind of cute, actually.” A real smile, although wet with tears, shone on the girl’s face. “She likes him so much… because they’re so alike. And after seeing them together, I’m sure he likes her, too… So, when I left them to share Andre’s magic ice cream…” She shrugged. “It broke my heart, but it felt like the right thing to do…” Her hands flexed against the metal bar as she chewed her lower lip, trying to quell the sea of hurt spilling from her eyes.

“Are you sure? If it felt right, then you shouldn’t be in this much pain.” Chat frowned. Marinette was crying over a real idiot, here! What oblivious moron wouldn’t want to date Marinette Dupain-Cheng? He covered the girl’s hand with his gloved claw, feeling his resolve solidify. Chat Noir couldn’t do anything in person, but that didn’t mean Chat Noir couldn’t do some scouting on behalf of Adrien! “Would you mind saying who it was? You know what they say about cats and curiosity…”

Marinette gave him a side-eye at the pun, pouting her lips as she considered. “You have to promise not to laugh,” she said firmly.

“Cat’s Honor,” he promised, giving a three-clawed salute, one hand over his bell.

She eyed him sidelong, considering. “Hrm… O-okay.” She cleared her throat ceremoniously. “I-It’s… That is… Um…” Chat watched intently as Marinette turned first pink, then a shade almost resembling scarlet. “It’s… A-Adrien… Agreste…”

His mouth went dry. His stomach dropped. Static roared in his ears. He saw the light of his maker. The earth fell out from under him—no, wait, he just lost his balance and fell on his face. “Uh—Wh-what was that..?” He picked at his ear with a frantic claw. “D-Did you just say you like _Adrien Agreste?_ As in, Adrien Agreste the model?”

Marinette grumbled. “Chat Noir, you said you wouldn’t laugh…”

“I-I’m not! I’m not laughing!” He somehow managed to stumble back up to his feet. “I’m just… surprised, is all. I, er, didn’t take you for a fan…” He stared unblinkingly over the edge of the balcony. Was Marinette a fan? Was she always a fan? When did this happen? And for _how long??_ Why the _ever-loving hell didn’t he notice???_

“I’m not a fan!” Marinette retorted loudly. She winced and toned it down a bit. “A-at least, I didn’t start out as one…”

“Oh…” Chat stood blankly for a moment before the tiny voice in the back of his head, the one that sounded increasingly more like Plagg, urged him to _ask her about it._ “So, uh, how _did_ it start out?”

Marinette settled herself against her balcony with a sigh. Light, airy. Dreamy. Tender. Chat coughed into his hand, leaning beside her and trying not to look as tense as he felt. “Well… Actually, at first, I didn’t think I would like Adrien. He was friends with Chloe, and Chloe’s always treated me like garbage, but I wanted to give him a chance. I saw him messing around by my seat, and found gum there. I was sure he and Chloe were in it together, and he was no better than her. But, then… he came and talked to me after school. It was raining, and peaceful.” Marinette closed her eyes, a small smile on her lips. “He… apologized for the misunderstanding. He was _gentle_.” The girl’s eyes opened a peek, mistily staring into the past; Chat was mesmerized by the look, still having a hard time believing she was talking about _him_. “Just something about his voice told me he was being sincere. And when he offered me his umbrella… our fingers brushed.” Marinette lightly pressed the fingertips of both hands together, a quiet chuckle escaping. “I’ve been head over heels ever since.” Her face dropped. “Well… until… Hey, are you okay, Chat Noir?”

“F-F-Fine! Never better!” It was Chat’s turn to wave a careless hand her way as he frantically tried to cover the blush he could feel creeping up his face. He had thought that day marked the beginning of a new friendship for him, but when _Marinette_ told the story, he felt like an absolute fool. It sounded so romantic through her eyes, and (he supposed) it _was_ , although that hadn’t been his intent at the time. “Soooo, uh, did you ever… you know… tell… him..?” He winced; he already knew the answer to that.

“What are you kidding? I can barely string a sentence together around him.” Marinette’s shoulders slumped. “I’m a _total_ spaz. Falling, dropping things, saying my words all mixed up…” She groaned. “It’s a _nightmare!_ ”

They both paused, Chat flashing back to all their interactions; yeah, that seemed like Mari. No wonder she was more articulate around Chat Noir. He thought she just didn’t like him much.

“Although…”

Chat’s head snapped up.

“There was one time… I—I tried to invite him to the movies once, but I freaked out after leaving the dorkiest message and was so nervous that I threw the phone away instead of hanging up. I was with my best friend, and totally gushed about my ‘crazy crush’ on him and even called him ‘hot stuff.’” Marinette covered her face with a hand, but continued; Adrien felt his heart slowly imploding upon learning the contents of Pandora’s Box. “The _whole thing_ got recorded on the voicemail! Luckily I was able to delete it before it got saved, but it was a close call.”

“W-Well, I mean… It probably wasn’t _that_ bad…”

“It really, really was,” Marinette assured firmly. “Still, not as bad as the time I almost kissed Adrien at the wax museum, though.”

“OH.” Chat was not aware his voice could go that high. He cleared his throat and asked in a semi-normal voice, “OH, how did that happen?” His grin was so fake that even he couldn’t believe what was on his face.

“I thought he was a statue! He was playing a prank on me, and I completely made a fool of myself!” Mari turned pink at the thought. “I probably should have confessed the truth right there, but—I was so flustered, and Alya was pushing me to confess, and I just—clammed up and said I was also pranking him? UGH, I’m so lame…” She flopped her head against her folded arms, hiding her face as she lamented her actions. “It’s a good thing Adrien’s with Kagami now. She’s so calm and collected. I’m too much of a klutz to be with someone as cool as Adrien. They belong together…”

_Kagami..?_

_Oh, right. My… girlfriend._ Adrien had never winced in his own thoughts before, but hey, there was a first time for everything. Nervously, his claws tapped against the railing as his mind screamed for his mouth to say something, _anything_ , to keep him from looking stupid.

“Well, he doesn’t sound that cool to me. Seems like he’s pretty stupid, actually!” _CHAT NOIR YOU MORON, WHAT DID YOU DO?_

“Huh? What are you talking about? Adrien’s amazing!”

“Not if he doesn’t see how amazing you are, Marinette.” He gulped hard. In his desperation, he was letting his mouth run away with him and say whatever it wanted about stupid, childish, oblivious Adrien Agreste, breaker of Mari-hearts extraordinaire!

Marinette looked away again, her soft gaze seeing something else. “Luka thinks so, too.”

“…Luka?”

She nodded. “Mm. He’s… made some level of interest in me clear. But he’s really been patient and supportive about the whole situation… Even if he thinks Adrien should have noticed by now.”

Something about the way Marinette said his name, _Adrien,_ drawn out with gently-spoken vowels, like she wanted to hang onto the syllables as long as possible. Had she always said his name like that? He felt the heat rising under his collar again and tried not to think about it. “So, is Luka your..?”

Marinette shook her head. “No. Just a friend. I think he’s really creative, and sweet, and a good person, but he’s just not…”

“He’s not Adrien.”

She nodded, and Chat felt a needle pierce straight through his heart. “But I have to stop thinking like that. Adrien is just a friend, and… and he’s only going to be a friend.” She took a deep breath. “At least I can talk to my friends like a normal person, though, so maybe it won’t be so bad...”

“Don’t give up.”

“…Huh?” Chat’s thoughts echoed the confused noise coming from Marinette’s mouth.

“Don’t give up yet.” Chat swallowed hard; what was he saying? What was he _doing?_ This could only end in disaster! To his own horror, he plucked free a flower from the nearby potted bush, tucking it into the band of her pigtail as his most winning smirk somehow stretched across his pathetic, idiotic face. “Anyone can see what an incredible person you are. I’m sure Adrien does, too. Give him one more chance. Maybe what you saw between him and… Kagami, was it?” Marinette nodded, her eyes wide as she listened. “It might not have been what it seemed. You deserve all the happiness in the world, Princess.”

“Ah—” Without warning, twin roses bloomed on the girl’s cheeks. “I—er, that is… Fencing has Adrien practice with tomorrow Kagami—No, wait! Tomorrow will be practicing Kagami with fencing Adrien! I mean—” She buried her steaming face in both hands, and suddenly Chat felt a real smile slip onto his face; this was the Marinette he was familiar with.

“Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be tomorrow. Just when the moment feels right… tell him.” Feeling the rising panic at what his traitorous alter-ego was saying, he tore himself away from the conversation and hopped onto the balcony railing. Despite the insistent thoughts of _Leave, leave, LEAVE, get OUT of there, Agreste!_ he paused… turned and kissed his classmate on the cheek. To his absolute horror, he winked and said, “For luck. Good night, Princess!” And dove away into the unforgiving night.


	2. Anxiety

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for the encouraging comments! I wasn't expecting to get so many views so fast, so here's another chapter for y'all. <3

Marinette stood stock still, gentle fingers brushing over the cheek Chat Noir had kissed.

…Chat Noir had kissed her? Yeah, that was _definitely_ a thing that just happened.

“…Tikki?” Marinette whispered once she was sure Chat Noir was far enough away.

“I’m right here, Marinette,” the kwami chirped, flitting out from the girl’s bag.

“What just happened?!” High, shrill panic was beginning to rise in the girl’s voice. Tikki rested a gentle nub on her cheek, the one unkissed by Chat Noir.

“Calm down, he was just encouraging you!” The ladybug kwami let out a sigh, already sensing that this was going to be a long night.

“B-but Tikki! I acted like I would around _Adrien!_ What if Chat thinks I like _him_ now?!”

“Marinette, you heard him. He told you to confess to _Adrien,_ not to choose him instead! You’re reading too much into things again.”

“I—O-okay…” Marinette took a deep breath, held it… blew it out violently and gulped another lungful of air, still jittery with nerves. A long pause, and then the floodgates broke wide open.

“ButTikkiwhatifthatkissmeantmorethanustencouragement?! I mean, he _could_ have meant it in a friendly ‘I believe in you!’ kind of way or it could have been a ‘Hey, hot stuff, I’m down to be your rebound!’” Marinette dipped into her best impression of her working partner, sly wink and all, as she voiced the possibilities.

“Marinette…”

“AHH! I do _not_ need my partner romantically interested in me!”

“Marinette.”

“I mean… Interested in my civilian self! OR my superhero self! Neither one! It’s too complicated!”

“Marinette!” Tikki raised her voice; her chosen was already pacing frantically as her imagination ran rampant.

“I have to find him and make it VERY CLEAR that I have completely platonic, and absolutely NO ROMANTIC _ANYTHING_ for Chat and—”

“MARINETTE!!”

The girl blinked her large blue eyes, freezing mid-rant as Tikki’s yell broke her concentration.

Tikki took a breath, glad Marinette had halted her downward spiral (at least temporarily). “Calm down. It probably didn’t mean that much. You know how much of a flirt Chat Noir is. With _everyone._ ”

“I… guess that _is_ true…” Marinette hummed to herself, the barest of frowns crossing her face.

Tikki paused as she saw the look on her chosen’s face, flitting up close beside the girl’s other cheek. “Wait. Do you _want_ Chat Noir to be interested in Marinette?”

“What? Of course not!” She spoke once again with clarity and assurance, and the knot of anxiety welling in Tikki’s tiny chest loosened. “He caught me off-guard, but… I still just want Adrien…” She wrapped her hands around her slim body and sank into the chair, a sigh welling up in her throat.

Tikki headbutted Marinette’s fingers gently. “I’m sorry, Marinette. I wasn’t trying to upset you.”

“I know, Tikki. It’s alright.” The girl petted the tiny creature’s bulbous head, paying extra attention to her black spot. “I’ll admit, though, I didn’t think Chat could be so… sensitive. He went a bit over the top at the end, but… I’m glad he’s my partner.” Marinette smiled to herself.

“Me, too,” Tikki added. “We already know he cares a great deal about Ladybug, but it definitely seems like he cares about Marinette, too! So you always know he’s watching out for you!”

“Yeah…” Marinette bit her lip. She had never been very comfortable with the idea of Chat Noir being in love with her. When they’d finally discussed it, hero to hero, it had soothed some of her unease, but now the anxious feelings were coming back as Marinette couldn’t shake the idea that Chat could be interested in her civilian self as more than just a friend after all. She wanted him to give up on Ladybug, but not like this! Frustrated, she shook her head. Dwelling on it certainly wasn’t going to help matters! “Come on, Tikki, let’s get ready for bed. We can figure the rest out tomorrow.”

“Okay, Marinette!” Tikki happily followed her chosen through the trapdoor and into the cutely decorated pink room below. She floated over to the girl’s desk where a container of fresh-baked macarons was waiting, diving in while Marinette gathered her pajamas and headed for the bathroom, more than ready for a shower and a good night’s sleep after all the crying and emotional turmoil of the evening.

Once she was squeaky clean—face washed, teeth brushed, overnight mask in place—she grabbed her phone and climbed into bed, wriggling until she was deep in the cozy blankets.

“I’m turning out the light, Marinette,” Tikki called.

“Alright, thanks, Tikki!” Marinette unlocked her screen, quickly checking that her alarm was set (and volume all the way up) before doing anything else. Tikki had returned to her side, settling in on her pillow with a frown.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that,” the kwami huffed as she made herself comfortable. “It seems like so much work!”

“Well… Sometimes it is. But it’s nice to stay connected with everyone all the time!” She smiled and pulled up her messages. Alya was at the very top of her recent messages, asking if they were still on for their plans tomorrow. Marinette tapped open the conversation and read up the messages, rolling her eyes with an affectionate smile as she spotted the link to the Ladyblog. She could check that one tomorrow, she already knew about the latest akuma Ladybug and Chat Noir had defeated.

She popped between her other texts, firing off quick responses to her friends. Nino had dropped her a few mp3’s of beats he had mixed; Marinette thanked him and saved the files to her phone to listen to on the way to school. Rose had sent her some more cat memes—a lady shouting at an annoyed white cat. Marinette wasn’t sure what context the image had been in originally, but the added text was worth a few lols. Juleka had texted her the dates and times of Kitty Section’s upcoming practices, which gave Marinette pause. Of course, she loved to hear the band practice, and help make their visual image come to life, but suddenly she felt unease about Luka. Creative, sensitive, understanding Luka, who…

Loved her? Maybe. Definitely he cared for her. He hadn’t made any official declarations, and Marinette hadn’t made any official responses one way or the other, but… Should she? She had allowed her feelings for Adrien to remain ambiguous, and after talking with Chat Noir, she felt more than ever that her inaction, her inability to share her feelings, was why Adrien gravitated to Kagami. Kagami had never let a fear of failure sway her path. Similarly, she might push Luka away if he thought he had a chance. Ambiguity. It felt safe, but it was more dangerous than anything else. She sighed, guilt settling into her heart.

Really, it wasn’t fair to Luka to keep using him as a shoulder to cry on when she (so far) had no intention of returning his feelings, and especially if she was really going to tell Adrien how she felt… for real. Really real. Absolutely, positively really-really-for-reals gonna happen. She hummed her resolve to herself and realized during her mental vacation, she had typed up about ten different responses and deleted them. She made a panicked face and nearly dropped her phone off the edge of the bed before managing to spit out a text: “Awesome! Looking forward to hearing everyone play!” A nice, safe, polite response. Ambiguous. Perfect. Marinette groaned softly as she realized the hole she was digging for herself. Stubbornly she turned her screen off and plugged the device in to charge, lest her alarm clock be dead come morning. Tikki would scold her if she stayed up all night dwelling, so there was nothing to do but get a good night’s sleep and handle everything at school the next day!

Easy, right?

Right!

…Right?

* * *

“Geeze, kid, I don’t see what the big deal is!” Plagg happily gulped down a wedge of his favorite pungent snack, floating back and forth over his chosen’s head. “Seems to me you want Marinette to confess her love to you.”

Adrien lay face-down on his sofa, his left arm and leg dragging carelessly on the ground as if he couldn’t bother to pull himself fully onto the furniture. “Plagg. I have a girlfriend! Kind of…”

“So, break up with her!” The black kwami shrugged, flitting away with a switch of his tail in search of more camembert.

“I can’t do that!” Adrien replied angrily, picking his head up from his prison of pillows.

“Then don’t break up with her. What do you want from me?”

“I—I don’t know! Aren’t you supposed to be an all-powerful god or something? Don’t you have any better advice?!”

“Well, I’m glad that you finally recognize my greatness! Unfortunately, my godly wisdom is beyond that of mere mortals, so you’re on your own here, kid.” Plagg gave a reckless grin, fangs showing as he found a stash of his hidden cheese. “Oooh, there you are, my lovelies! I know I said I was saving you for a rainy day, but my human’s tears are close enough!” He dove into the cheese, nomming large bites of each hunk of aged cheese. “Mmm… Heaven!”

Adrien rolled his eyes and let his head drop again into the cushion. “Gee, thanks for all your help, _your highness._ ”

“Mmf… I pweferr Y’r Em’nence, ffanks,” the creature chided through a mouthful.

“Oh, humble, too.”

Plagg gulped. “You finally noticed!”

Adrien let out a despairing sound somewhere between a depressed sigh and exasperated moan. Plagg really _was_ some kind of god, or at least an ancient, immortal, mostly-powerful being. Surely he could easily at least listen to Adrien and help him brainstorm a solution! But no, that was too much work and would take him away from his camembert. Sometimes Adrien felt like being stuck with Plagg made him the unluckiest boy in the world. He knew he wasn’t, but he was allowed to be dramatic sometimes, wasn’t he? Especially now, when his life was as close to a high school anime as it would get.

Giving up on getting any help from Plagg, he turned within his thoughts. _All right, Agreste. Let’s look at this logically. Get your facts straight and we can come up with a plan to fix this. …Whatever ‘this’ is._

To start: His relationship with Kagami.

Adrien had always liked Kagami. She was a good fencer. Pretty, brave, bold. She reminded him a bit of His Lady, if a bit less personable. They had fun together, just like he had fun with all his friends. Adrien frowned at this; he was still thinking of Kagami as a friend. But… they had kissed. He bit his lip, thinking back. It wasn’t bad. In fact, he sort of liked it. But Kagami would have definitely seen it as the mark of a real relationship. He wasn’t getting out of that so easily. He shelved the matter, not wanting to pursue it further.

Next… Marinette.

Marinette. His sweet, wonderful, caring classmate. The everyday-Ladybug he could always count on to save the day in the most ordinary (and sometimes extraordinary) of circumstances. Marinette “She’s Just a Friend” Dupain-Cheng. Adrien let a groan out at this, again berating himself for not _listening to Plagg_ of all things. Plagg had seen the romance in their meeting—why hadn’t Adrien?! Like a horrible Christmas special, the footage of all his interactions with Marinette played again and again, a nonstop loop that only served to further his shame. He had never felt like such a fool.

Had he ever thought about Marinette romantically? Well… truth to tell, not really. He had only considered Ladybug as a possible option, but when he really thought about it….

When Nino had confessed his crush on the girl, Adrien thought it made a lot of sense. She was a loyal and caring friend, cheerful, an _excellent_ p _â_ tissier… That Adrien could see, she had no real faults (other than her legendary clumsiness, but really, it was more cute than anything). She had no tolerance for liars, sometimes showing a bit of a hot streak, but that just showed what an honest, straightforward person she was. Adrien had thought Nino’s choice was _perfect_. Except that he ended up _not_ confessing to Marinette, but getting together with her best friend Alya, leaving that same perfect girl bafflingly single.

Was Adrien confused and blindsided by Marinette’s feelings for him?

Absolutely.

Was he upset about it?

No. Not even a little bit.

What bothered him the most about all this was that, once it sank in, he felt almost _happy_ that Marinette had a crush on him ( _him— Adrien!_ ) and not someone else. It was different than the cautious warmth he had felt about Kagami; with her, it felt like he just wanted more from their friendship. With Marinette, it almost felt like the butterflies that battled in his stomach when he thought of Ladybug.

Adrien flopped onto his back, covering his face with his forearm. “Plagg, I’m a despicable human being!” he declared.

“Are we on this again?” Plagg asked, bored. “Because frankly this is getting old already. And not the good kind of old, like with cheese.”

“But Plagg, I really am! I’m in love with Ladybug— _I am still in LOVE with Ladybug_ while I’m also dating Kagami! And now I’m stringing Marinette along, too! Even if it was Chat Noir that did it and not me directly, but…. Argh!” The boy pulled the pillow from beneath his head and smothered his face in it.

The black kwami let out a lengthy sigh. “Would it help if I agreed with you? Yes, Adrien, you’re the lowest of the low! A two-timing scumbag! Even worse than Hawkmoth!”

“Hey!” Adrien sat up. “I at least think I’m better than a supervillain!”

“Well, make up your mind. Either manipulating the feelings of two—er, _three_ girls makes you the worst person on the planet, or it doesn’t. You can’t have it both ways.” Plagg lazily floated by Adrien, eyeing him warily.

“See! Even you can’t keep track of how many girls I’m two-timing!” Adrien threw his hand out dramatically, almost smacking Plagg from the air. “I’m a two-timer… I never thought I’d be a two-timer, Plagg…”

“Aw, c’mon, kid…” Plagg zipped beside his chosen, hoping to cover his slip-up with extra kindness. “You’re not really two-timing anyone, though. Sure, you’re in… _blech—_ **love** with Ladybug while seeing Kagami, but hey! That’s nothing new. And Marinette doesn’t know that you’re Chat Noir, so you can just turn her down as Adrien, totally guilt-free!”

Silence. Then, a muffled noise, almost like words. Plagg’s ears twitched, trying to hear.

“Huh? Speak up, kid, I can’t hear you.”

Adrien slowly moved his pillow until he hugged it tightly against his chest. “I don’t… think I want to turn Marinette down, Plagg…”

“…Oh.” Plagg paused. This was a delicate situation they were in. If he’d had his way, Ladybug and Chat Noir would have known their identities by now, and these two romantic _idiots_ could frolic into the sunset or whatever. But Ladybug and Tikki with their _rules_ and Adrien with his _respect_ put a total damper on that plan. Now, just like that, a chance had dropped right into his lap. The question was, how was he going to use it?

“How do you really feel about Kagami, then?” chaos incarnate asked.

“I dunno… I like Kagami, I like spending time with her and all…” Adrien sighed. “I don’t want her to get hurt,” he finally settled on.

“Won’t it hurt her more if you’re ‘together’ and you don’t feel as strongly as she does?”

Adrien was silent, frowning a little more and hugging his pillow a little tighter.

“I think you _should_ break up with her,” Plagg insisted.

“What?! But Plagg—” Adrien sat bolt upright, staring at the kwami.

“Hear me out, okay?! Kagami’s strong, she’ll be fine. You think a little heartbreak would stop that girl?”

“Well… no, not exactly, but—”

“Besides, you don’t want to turn Marinette down.”

“…No?”

“SO, the only way _you_ can do that, without feeling guilty, is if you break up with Kagami! Simple. Praise me, now. Preferably in the form of camembert.”

Adrien glared at the little creature, taking note of his satisfied grin. “I think I should cut you off for the rest of the week.”

 **“WHAT?!”** Plagg’s face fell and he flitted around Adrien frantically. “C’mon, kid! It was good advice! Don’t cut me off from my beloved, I’ll **D I E.** ”

The boy frowned and regarded his friend. Finally, he relented and pulled a chunk of camembert from the inside pocket of his shirt. “Fine. I’ll consider it. But I still don’t know, Plagg…”

Smiling once more, Plagg dove for the cheese. “Hey, what are your other options? Perfect the art of cheating? Trust me, kid, just do exactly as I say—” he gulped down his cheese “—and everything will turn out fine!”

Adrien winced at the words; they weren’t wrong. And coming from Plagg, that was scary. “…Maybe,” he admitted, getting up and sitting at his custom computer. He propped his chin on his hand and opened his browser to the Ladyblog, quickly clicking the link to the gallery. He scrolled through the pictures of Ladybug. What would Ladybug want him to do? She would never forgive him if she found out he was a liar, that was for sure. Marinette, too, if he thought about it. They had that in common. A small smile spread on his lips as he thought about Marinette’s similarity to Ladybug—but he quickly wiped it away and closed his browser. He checked the clock—almost 2 AM. No wonder his thoughts were so scrambled! Sleep deprivation. That was the reason for all his confusion. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

“Come on, Plagg. Let’s get some sleep.”

“Hmm… Not quite as good as cheese, but I’ll settle for it.” Before Adrien could even stand up, Plagg was already diving for the spacious bed. With a sigh and a yawn, the teen changed into pajama pants and moved to join the kwami in the comforting release of sleep. He hoped, anyway.


	3. What Are Friends For?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this has actually been done for a while, but I've been working overtime through the holidays. Happy 2020, have some DJWiFi to celebrate!

“Girl. Not a chance.” Alya’s brow quirked at her from beneath the black frames of her glasses.

“I’m serious this time! The next time I see Adrien, I’m going to tell him how I feel!” Marinette curled a little fist in front of her, determination written all over her “serious face.”

“…You’re kidding, right?”

“No! I have to do this now! I—I just want him to know how I feel… and…” Marinette exhaled all the air keeping her posture straight, hanging her head as she sagged at the knees. “It’s a really bad idea, isn’t it?”

“The _worst._ Marinette, he has a girlfriend! How do you think that will make you look?!” Her sassy friend had one hand on her hip while the other gesticulated her utter annoyance at Marinette’s stupidity. “Why would you even think to bring this up _now?_ ”

“Oh, uh, weeeellll…” Marinette tugged a pigtail, awkward smile plastered on her face. She couldn’t tell Alya it was because of Chat Noir! Chat was basically a stranger to Marinette, so she had no reason to follow his advice. She couldn’t tell Alya it was because Chat was her partner in crime-fighting and that she trusted him with her very life! Marinette shrugged weakly, an awkward laugh escaping. “….Seventy-fourth time’s the charm, right?”

Alya pressed her fingertips into her temple, sighing as she shook her head. “You are _so_ lucky I love you.”

“I really am.” Marinette smiled at her bestie, and they came in for a quick hug. “I guess you’re right… But, I still really want to get it off my chest, and, you know… out there.”

Alya considered. “I guess I can understand. You’ve been trying to tell him for so long, it must really suck to think you waited too long.”

Marinette pooched her lips. “Gee, thanks for not rubbing it in…” she grumbled. Her friend laughed and slung an arm around her shoulders.

“Hey, I wouldn’t be your best friend if I didn’t make fun of you a little! Besides, it’s ice cream and horror movies at my place tonight. After a gallon of Haagen Dazs, I guarantee you will feel at least 60% better.”

“60%?” Marinette giggled, raising a skeptical eyebrow. “I thought you’d have a foolproof cure!”

“Nah, gotta be real on this one. You’ve been crushing on Adrien way too long to deal with this in one night. But we’re going to come real close.”

Marinette hugged Alya around the waist as they began the walk to class. “Thanks, Alya! You’re the best!”

* * *

Adrien sat in the back seat of his car, head flopped back against the plush leather of the luxury seat as the bodyguard affectionately referred to as The Gorilla drove him to school. He felt awful. He had barely slept, mind racing and looping back and forth with uncertainties and weighing options. When Nathalie saw the bags under his eyes and how pale he looked, she had immediately called and rescheduled a photoshoot he was supposed to model for after school. He appreciated the gesture, but now that just left him free time to think. Or worse, to interact with the girls he was trying to sort out his feelings for…

The car slowed to a stop in front of the school. Nino was waiting for him by the curb, as he often did, prompting Adrien to grin before getting out.

“’Sup, my dude?” The DJ held his fist out for a casual bump.

“Good morning, Nino.” Adrien returned the bump, closing the car door and waving goodbye to his bodyguard. “Whatcha listening to?”

“I’ve been scoping the indie scene for new artists, dude! Check this guy out, he’s awesome!” Nino pulled the headphones off his head, turning one earpiece so Adrien could listen. His eyebrows went up in surprise—the indie DJ was scratching and dropping beats using a classical violin piece, creating a modern sound with a nod to the greats of the past.

“Nino, this is really cool!”

“Right?” The boy slipped the headphones back around his neck, reaching into his pocket to pause the music. “I figured you would like it. Figured maybe you could help me out and record something on piano for me to mix..?” His shoulders shrugged casually, but there was no mistaking the hopeful lilt in his voice.

“Of course, Nino! I’d be happy to.”

“Awesome, dude!” Nino punched the air in victory. “My beats just keep getting sicker, I can’t wait to see what we come up with!”

Adrien tried a smile, and yawned, tears forming in his eyes.

“…Dude, you okay?” Nino’s excitement had quickly melted into concern.

“Ah… I’m fine, Nino. Just tired.”

“What, didn’t get your beauty sleep last night, dude?” Nino grinned at his own joke.

Adrien grinned back, a sucker for a good pun. “Ha, good one! But really, I just couldn’t get to sleep. There was too much on my mind…”

“Like what?”

“…” Adrien put a hand on the back of his neck, looking away awkwardly. How would he explain this to Nino without incriminating himself..?

“Uh, I mean, no pressure. If it’s, like, personal, or something…” Nino shuffled awkwardly. Adrien let out a small smile, grateful to have such a supportive friend.

“No, it’s okay. Actually, I wanted to ask for your advice on something…”

“Yeah? Okay, dude, shoot.” They slowly sauntered over to the stairs in front of the school building and sat down on their usual steps.

“Alright. So, this is kind of complicated…” Adrien took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was coming next. “So, you know Kagami..?”

“Your girlfriend? Yeah, dude.”

Adrien grimaced slightly. “Right… Well. There’s… someone else that I’ve liked for a long time. Someone I’ve been in love with.” _~*Ladybug*~_ he thought dreamily. Nino merely raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think it was going to work out with her, so…”

“Oh!” Nino smacked his open palm with his other fist. “I totally get it, dude. Makes total sense now.”

Adrien make a confused face. “Huh? Um… sure. Anyway. But yeah. Kagami’s great. She’s totally awesome.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I just… don’t know if I… you know. Like I did the first girl I liked.”

“Not ready to give up on that First Love yet, huh?”

“Well, that’s the thing…” Adrien gulped, readjusting himself as he twiddled his fingers together. “There’s… someone else I’ve been thinking about…”

“WHOA.” Nino held his hands up. “Stop right there, dude. You mean to tell me that straight-and-narrow, innocent as fresh snow, radiant, carefree, dreamy Adrien Agreste is playing multiple girls? Dude. The supermodel life must really be catching up with you.”

Adrien flinched, at both the accusation and the use of his fragrance ad. “Nino! I’m not ‘playing’ anyone! I just—I don’t know if I should continue dating Kagami while I’m so…”

“Preoccupied?”

“ _Lukewarm._ It wouldn’t feel fair to her.”

“Aaaand would leave you free to pursue other interests?”

Adrien blushed, frowning. That was part of the reason, but Nino made it seem like that was all there was to it. Nino noticed the jab and relented, leaning back and fidgeting with his cap. “I dunno, dude, this seems like the kind of problem where no matter you do, somebody ends up screwed. Just do what makes you happy. You need some happiness in your life, my dude.”

Hands clasped loosely between his knees, Adrien let the words sink in. _Do what makes you happy._ It wasn’t a phrase he heard directed at him very often, and it was something he needed to hear at this moment in time. Everyone else’s expectations—Kagami, Ladybug, Marinette—should be second to his own well-being. What did _he_ want? It wasn’t something he spent much time dwelling on when he was up all night trying to figure out how to keep everyone else happy with his decisions. Adrien took a deep breath and smiled again at the best friend in the whole world.

“Hey, thanks, Nino. I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, my dude. But, uh, let’s get to class? I can’t handle another tardy.”

“Sure thing.”

The pair slung their schoolbags over their respective shoulders and headed to Mme. Bustier’s classroom, discussing lighter topics and sharing a few laughs before class began. Adrien was just starting to feel relaxed as they walked through the door; that is, until he got to his desk. He looked up and was immediately caught by Marinette’s gaze. He paused beside his seat—one second. Two seconds. Her eyes really _were_ such a lovely shade of blue...

Beside her, Alya said something that sounded polite, then elbowed the slim bluenette beside her.

“G-G-Good morning, Ad-drien!” Marinette was smiling widely despite her stutter, the sudden bloom of color on her cheeks reminding Adrien of the night before—

_“What are you kidding? I can barely string a sentence together around him. I’m a_ _total_ _spaz. Falling, dropping things, saying my words all mixed up…”_

The model felt a surge of heat rising from under his collar and up his face. “GoodmorningMarinette!” he replied quickly, throwing himself into his seat. _CrapcrapCRAP I forgot to prepare mentally for seeing Marinette HOW COULD I FORGET THAT I HAVE EVERY CLASS WITH HER?_

Marinette seemed oblivious to his strange behavior, hiding her head in her fists as she let out a near-silent groan. Meanwhile, Nino was frozen in the midst of stashing his headphones in his bag, sharing a look of bewilderment with Alya.

* * *

“Okay, Nino, _spill._ ” Alya had dragged the handsome DJ down beside her on a bench beneath the stairs in the school’s inner courtyard, where they often took their midday break. Eyes darting around them, she pulled her phone out and plugged in a set of earbuds before turning her hawk’s gaze to her man.

Nino, to his credit, looked exactly as bewildered as he felt and stared back stupidly.

Alya sighed, her brow furrowing in frustration. She took a deep breath and began a playlist of music they had compiled, softly, so they could still converse without speaking too loudly. “I’m talking about _Adrien._ He totally freaked out when he saw Marinette this morning! What’s going on with him?!”

“I-I dunno, dude! I’m not a mind reader!” Nino shrugged, backing away from her aggressive questioning.

“Well sure, but you’re his best friend. Surely he must have mentioned something unusual?”

“No way, dude.” Nino tapped his index finger against his knee in time with the beat, beginning to nod his head along, until he suddenly stopped. “Well, actually…”

“ _Yes…?_ ”

Nino fidgeted uncomfortably. “I-I dunno if I should say…”

“ _Say,_ ” Alya pressed ruthlessly.

“It’ll break the Bro Code!”

“Oh, please.” Alya rolled her eyes. “Bro Codes don’t apply to significant others. I’ve broken the Girl Code for you, y’know.” She stared him down, daring him to test her loyalty.

“R-right. Okay.” Nino took a deep breath, trying to figure out where to start: the end, obviously. “I think my dude is gonna break up with Kagami,” he offered quietly.

“WHAT?!” Alya clapped a hand over her mouth, glancing around. Other than an odd side-eye here and there, they remained ignored. “Why?! I thought they had a thing or—or whatever?”

“I did, too, but apparently our little sunshine child doesn’t. At least, not like that.” Nino rubbed his chin thoughtfully, elbows propped on his knees. “So get this—she’s like, his rebound for his first love or something?” He paused to catch the skeptical look on Alya’s face. “Right? Anyway, he says he doesn’t like her _that_ way, and he’s starting to catch feels for someone else. Don’t ask me who, he didn’t say.”

Alya closed her mouth with a frown and leaned into Nino’s shoulder. “Well, shoot.” She ground her teeth together, not wanting to say what was crossing her mind. “Hey… You don’t think that Adrien..?”

“That Adrien… What?”

“Typically clueless boy. You remember how Adrien was this morning. Totes fine with _me_ , but completely awkward with _Marinette._ You don’t think that he, you know…”

“Wait, wait. Adrien… with _Marinette_? You know how many times he’s friendzoned her, dude?”

“I know, I know, it’s crazy. But, what if..?”

Nino mulled it over. It was completely crazy. He and Alya had done so much to push the two clueless children together so they could have double dates with their besties, and nothing came of it other than Marinette’s complete disappointment and Adrien continuing on obliviously. What could have happened that would make Adrien suddenly notice the obvious crush the nicest girl in class had on him? Or… Maybe he didn’t? Maybe he just suddenly noticed what a sweetheart she was? Nino glanced at Alya, who watched him expectantly. “I dunno, dude… It makes _no_ sense.”

“True, but that doesn’t make it impossible. Alright!” Alya finally brought out their lunch, reaching inside and handing Nino his half of the sandwich. “Marinette and I are having a ‘Get Over Adrien’ party at my place tonight. I’ll take it easy with the jabs at Adrien, just in case, and meanwhile I’ll need you to scout out Agreste.” Alya pointed a menacing sandwich corner at Nino before taking a bite.

“Whoa, dude, easier said than done.” Nino pulled a can of Red Bull out of his bag, popping the tab. “Our boy has, like, no free time. Not even to text.”

“It can be a long-term scouting, then.” Alya snatched the Red Bull and began to gulp it down as Nino frowned. “Some info is better than none, and we need all the help we can get.” She passed the can back to him.

“Yeah, alright,” Nino grumbled, wishing Alya wasn’t so darn adorable when she was being bossy, watching her determined grin sidelong.

* * *

Once again, Adrien found himself alone in his room, Plagg flitting from corner to corner, the muted sounds of moaning and chewing mingling with the stench of camembert. Sluggishly, the boy picked up his basketball and tried a few shots, but he was exhausted. His mind was still buzzing too much to sleep, but his body at least knew he was spent. He put the ball away and lay facedown in bed instead.

“Aww, what’s wrong, champ?” Plagg floated by lazily, popping a hunk of cheese in his gullet. “Cat got your tongue?”

“Ha ha, very funny,” came his muffled reply.

“Wow, puns aren’t even cheering you up? I guess this is serious, then.” Not that the little kwami seemed to acknowledge it.

Adrien rolled onto his back, covering his eyes with his forearm and sighing heavily. Nino’s words still rang in his ears: _Just do what makes you happy._ So simple. Why, then, did it seem so daunting?

Plagg’s dalliances with the cheese were beginning to give him a headache when the familiar chime of a text message sounded. Relieved, Adrien sat up and reached for his bag, pulling his phone out before straightening. He unlocked the fancy, complicated screen and pulled up his texts. He was pleased to see the notification beside Nino’s picture and tapped the screen to open the window.

**_Ik ur busy bro but u think bout wat I  
told u today?_ **

Adrien smiled at the message and immediately began typing a response.

_My shoot got rescheduled, so I was  
thinking about it just now.  
Why, were you going to add on to it?_

**_no not rlly  
just wonderd if u made a choice  
so like who is it nyway?  
i mean  
gotta protect my bro, dude_ **

He raised an eyebrow at the messages popping up, but shrugged it off. Nino was always telling him about The Bro Code, so he assumed this had something to do with it. His thumbs hovered over the screen, debating what he should say. Adrien wanted Nino’s input, he _did_ , but he was reluctant to name names. He was a bit embarrassed about the situation, plus what if liking the ex-crush of your best friend was breaking The Bro Code? He hemmed and hawed, and finally typed out a tentative response.

_Okay, so  
Totally hypothetical question  
but would it be against Bro Code to have  
a crush on a girl your best friend used to  
crush on?_

He held his breath without realizing it as the three bouncing dots appeared on screen, one-two-three, one-two-three. It felt like centuries went by as his stare bored into the screen. By this point, Adrien figured it must be breaking a lot of rules with how long Nino was taking to respond. Nino was a 3-second texter, tops. He didn’t take this long unless he was really serious. He was waiting for the wall of text that would reprimand him for being a total scum and not the best bro Nino thought he was.

He was surprised, taking more than a minute to register the single word response that appeared on the screen.

**_marinette?_ **

The blood roared in his ears and his mouth went dry, fingers typing frantically. Somehow, Nino had seen through him and figured out that he wasn’t being hypothetical!

_…  
Nino  
I swear  
our friendship is more important to me  
than any girl_

**_woah dude_ **

_Don’t hate me, I promise it wasnt on  
purpose!!!_

**_calm down  
were cool  
i approve bro marinette is awesome_ **

_Oh._

Adrien sat back and stared at his phone. So Nino wasn’t mad, and… approved..? What did that even mean?

_Soooooo  
Bro Code still intact?_

**_totes  
its totes fine, my dude_ **

_Cool, cool._

**_so ur shoot srsly got canceld?  
nothin else planned?_ **

_Nope, I’m free for today._

**_sweetness_ **

_So hey I wanted to ask about something…_

**_shoot_ **

He thought long and hard, trying to come up with a way to be suave and stealthy about his question. Smooth. Inconspicuous. Nonchalant.

_You approve of Marinette?  
WTF does that even mean?_

(Nailed it.)

**_bro  
u srs rn?  
our entire class is crushing on her, dude  
n like  
she aint been subtle bout who she likes  
dude  
tell me u noticed????_**

No, no he most certainly did NOT notice. At least not without a little help from Chat Noir. Adrien couldn’t say that to Nino, though, he’d blow his cover, and that wasn’t an option. He could play dumb, but to honest, he didn’t think he could pull that off long term. He made a sour face and dove into his reply.

_Not until recently. Like, just a few days ago.  
Why?_

**_my dude  
i dun wanna upset u  
just like  
dont ask  
fr…_ **

Adrien wanted to D I E. Even Nino knew about Marinette’s feelings for him? How oblivious _was_ he?! And the message about the whole class having a crush on her certainly didn’t put him at ease. Marinette could really just take her pick – Luka, Nathaniel, or _any of their classmates,_ apparently… And here he was, with a girlfriend, finally taking notice. He sent a text to Nino saying that a meeting with his publicist came up, then he sat up, pocketing his phone.

“I need to clear my head, Plagg.”

“Great, I hear walks are fantastic for that.” The kwami yawned as if getting ready for a nap.

“Sure are.” Adrien threw himself out of bed and thrust his ring-shod fist forward. “Plagg, Claws Out!”

“W-wait, not like thaaaaaaat!” the kwami protested as he was sucked into the ring, a flash of green light transforming the model into his superhero alter-ego.


End file.
